안녕하세요? Today, I'll teach you how to ask or give permission in Korean. It won't be a difficult lesson if you are familiar with the 아/어/여(vowel) conjugation rules. At the end of the lesson, you can make sentences with "may" in Korean. You'll be able to ask questions like "May I go?" or answer like "You may go."
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1. 아/어/여도 되다 grammar
아/어/여도 되다 is an expression that is used to seek or give permission. You can translate it like the modal "may" in English. In a statement, you'll give permission. In questions, you can use it to ask for permission. Here are quick examples.
Q: 이거 먹어도 돼요? May I eat this?
A: 네, 먹어도 돼요. Yes, you may.
Previously, you learned the expression "아/어/여야 되다." It is a very similar-looking expression, right? This one means "should." Just with one syllable difference, one is "should" and one is "may."
집에 가야 돼요. I should go home.
집에 가도 돼요. You may go home.
2. Conjugation Information
You can attach this 아/어/여도 되다 to a verb stem, an adjective stem, 이다, or 아니다, so basically everything that can come to the end of the sentence! This expression consists of two parts. The first one is 아/어/여도 and the second one is 되다. Let's take a look one by one with me! If you want to go through this part with the worksheet, please click here to download the free file!
A. 아/어/여도
Does "아/어/여" look familiar to you? You saw that part when you conjugate words to informal present tense. When you do so, you attach 아요, 어요, or 여요. Now you can change that 요 into 도 for this grammar and attach 아도, 어도, or 여도.
Regular Rules
This "아/어/여" is a very important part of Korean grammar and I expect you to get used to it by now. So, when you see "아/어/여" what is the key of the conjugation? Yes, it was the last syllable of the stem. Especially, you have to pay attention to their vowels! There are mainly three rules in the regular conjugation.
ㅏ, ㅗ words: Add 아도 되다 to the stem.
하다 words: If the words end with 하다, replace that 하다 to 해도
Other than the above, add 어도.
ㅏ, ㅗ: +아도 되다 | 하다 → 해도 되다 | Others: +어도 되다 |
앉다: 앉아도 되다 may sit | 운동하다: 운동해도 되다 may exercise | 먹다: 먹어도 되다 may eat |
가다: 가도 되다 may go | 말하다: 말해도 되다 may talk | 마시다: 마셔도 되다 may drink |
보다: 봐도 되다 may see | 노래하다: 노래해도 되다 may sing | 읽다: 읽어도 되다 may read |
Irregular Rules
Of course, we have to consider the irregular words as well. Even though we call "irregular" rules, they still show a "regular" pattern in each rule. For example, you always have to change the ㄷ to ㄹ when the final consonant ㄷ matters. Here are some examples for you. Take a look.
ㄷ words: Change ㄷ to ㄹ and add 아도 or 어도.
ㅅ words: Drop ㅅ and add 아도 or 어도.
ㅂ words: Drop ㅂ and add 와도 or 워도.
ㅡ or 르: Drop ㅡ and add 아도 or 어도. If it is 르, ㅁdd extra ㄹ at the front syllable.
ㄷ words: ㄷ→ㄹ +아/어도 되다 | ㅅ words: Drop ㅅ +아/어도 되다 |
듣다: 들어도 되다 may listen | 붓다: 부어도 되다 may pour |
걷다: 걸어도 되다 may walk | 젓다: 저어도 되다 may stir |
ㅂ words: Drop ㅂ +와/워도 되다 | ㅡ/르 words: Drop ㅡ +아/어도 되다 |
돕다: 도와도 되다 may help | 쓰다: 써도 되다 may write/use |
굽다: 구워도 되다 may bake | 부르다: 불러도 되다 may call |
이다
You can attach 어도 되다 to the Korean be verb 이다 and its antonym 아니다. Let's take a look at 이다 first. Since it has the vowel ㅣ, we need to attach 어도 되다. For example, 책상이어도 되다 or 학생이어도 되다.
When a noun has no final consonant, it is often used as 여도 되다. For example, 의자여도 되다 or 가수여도 되다. However, 이어도 되다 and여도 되다 are usually used in the written language. In daily conversation, people often use 라도 되다. In the case of 라도 되다, you don't have to worry about the final consonant. You can just say 착생이라도 되다 or 의자라도 되다.
받침O | +이어도 되다 | 받침X | +여도 되다 |
책상(desk) | 책상이어도 되다 | 의자(chair) | 의자여도 되다 |
사람(person) | 사람이어도 되다 | 가위(scissors) | 가위여도 되다 |
파란색(blue) | 파란색이어도 되다 | 컴퓨터(computer) | 컴퓨터여도 되다 |
We can think of the situation, maybe you should bring a T-shirt to your school. The teacher asked you to bring a green one but you don't have any green t-shirt. Then you can ask your teacher "파란색이어도 돼요? (Is it okay to be blue?)"
아니다
As you know, 아니다 is used as an expression "이/가 아니다." You have to decide 이 or 가 depending on the final consonant of the noun. 아니다 will be conjugated as 아니어도 되다. Can you tell me why? It is because the last vowel of the stem(아니) is the "ㅣ". So we need to attach 어도 되다 to it.
You can use "아니라도 되다" instead of "아니어도 되다." The second one is more commonly used in daily conversations. This sentence will be used to allow "It is okay not to be N." For example, 학생이 아니어도 되다 means it is okay to be not a student.
받침O | 이 아니어도 돼요. | 받침X | 가 아니어도 돼요. |
책상(desk) | 책상이 아니어도 돼요. | 의자(chair) | 의자가 아니어도 돼요. |
사람(person) | 사람이 아니어도 돼요. | 가위(scissors) | 가위가 아니어도 돼요. |
파란색(blue) | 파란색이 아니어도 돼요. | 컴퓨터(computer) | 컴퓨터가 아니어도 돼요. |
You can think of a situation in which you have to bring a chair to your classroom. There is no good chair in the supply room. You explained it to your teacher. She still needs a chair and says to you "좋은 의자가 아니어도 돼요. It is okay to be not a good chair." Does it make sense to you?
B. 되다 with the informal present tense
Now, to use this grammar actually in daily life, we must conjugate the "되다" part as well! As you know, tones of conjugations can happen depending on a situation, formality, tense, and tone. But don't be overwhelmed. Let's practice the most useful version, the informal present tense first.
The stem of 되다 is 되. The vowel is "ㅚ." It's not ㅏ or ㅗ, so we need to add the rule 3, adding 어요. So, it becomes 되어요. Now, 되어 can be shortened to 돼 because we don't have any final consonant that prevents vowel combining. So, the final form is 돼요.
May I...? 아/어/여도 돼요?
이 컴퓨터를 써도 돼요? May I use this computer?
이 사탕을 먹어도 돼요? May I eat this candy?
집에 가도 돼요? May I go home?
이 책을 읽어도 돼요? May I read this book?
이 연필을 써도 돼요? May I use this pencil?
May I...? + (으)ㄹ까요?: 아/어/여도 될까요?
"(으)ㄹ까요?" is an asking intention ending. It adds more of a seeking permission tone. So usually,"될까요?" sounds a bit more politer than "돼요?" ending. You have to know 되다 becomes 돼요, but try to use "될까요?" in daily life.
If you are curious how 되다 becomes 될까요, here is how. To conjugate (으)ㄹ까요, you have to take a look at the existence of the final consonant. The stem of 되다 is 되 and it doesn't have any final consonants. So, we need to add ㄹ under it to make the final consonant. Then continue adding 까요 with a question mark!
이 컴퓨터를 써도 될까요?
이 사탕을 먹어도 될까요?
집에 가도 될까요?
이 책을 읽어도 될까요?
You may ... = You are allowed: 아/어/여요 돼요.
컴퓨터를 써도 돼요. You may use the computer.
먹어도 돼요. You may eat.
가도 돼요. You may go.
읽어도 돼요. You may read.
써도 돼요. You may use.
C. 되다 with other endings
If you are more than a beginner or if you want to master this grammar, please check this section as well. 돼요 is the most common version, but you may also use other endings. You can practice them by changing the examples above to the other endings below.
Formal Ending Question | 되다+ㅂ니까?→ 됩니까? | 이 컴퓨터를 써도 됩니까? May I use this computer? |
Formal Ending Statement | 되다+ㅂ니다.→됩니다. | 이 컴퓨터를 써도 됩니다. You may use this computer. |
3. Sentence Information
Alternative words
In this expression, '어도 되다,' you can change 되다 to other words. You can add 좋다(to be good), 괜찮다(to be okay), or 상관없다(to do not matter) instead of 되다. So, now you know 4 different expressions to give permission! I'll organize them for you below with the example. They all mean "You may sit here."
어도 되다: 여기에 앉아도 돼요.
어도 좋다: 여기에 앉아도 좋아요.
어도 괜찮다: 여기에 앉아도 괜찮아요.
어도 상관없다: 여기에 앉아도 상관없어요.
Negative forms
If someone asks you for permission and you don't allow it, how can you answer? You can simply use the negative adverb 안. Insert 안 before the end of the sentence. In other words, before a verb, an adjective.
이 가방을 써도 돼요? May I use this purse?
아니요, 안 돼요. No, you may not.
4. Examples
1
Q: 창문을 열어도 돼요? May I open the window?
A: 네, 열어도 돼요. Yes, you may.
2
Q: 에어컨을 틀어도 돼요? = 에어컨을 켜도 돼요? May I turn the A/C on?
A: 네, 틀어도 돼요. = 네, 켜도 돼요. Yes, you may.
Air conditioner in Korean is 에어컨. And yes it came from the English word. If you read it aloud you'll realize! To say turn a machine on like AC, radio, or TV, there are two verbs you can use. One is 틀다 and the other is 켜다.
3
Q: 텔레비전을 꺼도 돼요? May I turn off the TV?
A: 네, 꺼도 돼요. Yes, you may.
Here is the antonym of 틀다 or 켜다. To turn a machine off, you can use the word 끄다. One more tip for you. You can talk about turning the light on and off using 켜다 and 끄다. 불을 켜다 means to turn the light on. 불을 끄다 means to turn the light off.
4
Q: 이제 집에 가도 돼요? May I go home now?
A: 아니요, 아직 안 돼요. No, not yet.
이제 means "now." 아직 is an adverb, meaning "yet." You can make a "not allowing" sentence by adding "안(not)" in front of the verb.
5
Q: 이제 밥을 먹어도 될까요? May I eat food now?
A: 아니요, 아직 안 돼요. No, not yet.
This time, I used "될까요" instead of "돼요". We can make a little more polite vibe sentence by asking using "될까요" with a question mark. One thing you have to know is 될까요 only works as a question. It can't work as a statement!
Wrap-up & Worksheets: "may" in Korean
Good job! Now, you know how to ask permission in Korean! I'll summarize the important lesson points for you.
'어도 되다' is an expression that is used to ask or give permission.
어도 돼요? or 어도 될까요? can be used to ask permission. The second one is a bit more polite.
어도 돼요. can be used to allow.
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